Playa del Carmen · RIVIERA MAYA TURTLE TOURS

Swimming with Turtles in the Riviera Maya: The 15 Best Tours

76 tours  ·  from $37 a head

Green turtles feed in the seagrass at Akumal and along the reef. These 15 compare group size, how long you are in the water and whether a cenote or the Tulum ruins come along too.

Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya - Yax-Muul: caves, clear freshwater, and rock formations
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Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

1.Half-Day Sea Turtle and Cenote Snorkeling Tour from Cancun & Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,039 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $99Our pick

Travel from Cancún or the Riviera Maya to Akumal Beach for guided snorkeling among turtles, rays, and tropical fish, then follow a guide through caves at Parque de Cenotes Yax-Muul and swim in freshwater. A bilingual guide, transport, gear, life vests, water, and empanadas are included. Plan for an early pickup, a possible long drive, and a separate $20 marine fee.

“We had a great experience. Our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. Seeing the sea turtles and other marine life in as amazing!”

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Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour - Yax-Muul’s freshwater cave
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Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour

2.Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,706 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $129

Visit Tulum’s seaside ruins, take a short boat ride to snorkel with turtles and rays in Akumal, then swim through a limestone cenote. The tour includes hotel pickup, a guide, snorkel gear, life jackets, water, and a taco lunch. Guides vary, with names including Yul, Marc, Mimi, and Alejandro.

“We had a WONDERFUL time on our trip! It was well-paced, we didn’t spend too long in the car, and none of the stops felt too busy. Sasha and Hermando were kind and attentive. We saw so many turtles and sting rays snorkeling and bats while in the cenotes! Definitely recommend! Our one comment was that we were told to leave our stuff including phones in the van at every stop and then the photo package was pretty expensive. But high quality. Just to be aware of - buy a waterproof phone case if you want to take your own pictures.”

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Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch - Lunch and a breather at the beach club
Lunch Experiences, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Snorkeling Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews

Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

3.Hidden Cenote Swim: Snorkeling, Sea Turtles and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,222 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $169

Visit a Maya cenote for a guided swim through caverns and rock formations, then snorkel with sea turtles and tropical fish at Akumal Beach. Round-trip hotel transport, gear, snacks, a bilingual guide, and beach-club lunch are included. The water can be cold, and the guided ocean swim requires more effort than simply watching from a boat.

“Swimming with the turtles was amazing! This was also outr 3rd cenote and this was likely our favorite one. Beautiful, mysterious space with lots of interesting passages, including a few tight squeezes. Very clean water and incredible history. Our guide, Omar, even had us sit in the dark for one minute and listen to the space around us - a very surreal experience. The lunch at the end was a nice cap to an amazing day. About Omar (and our driver, Julio) - they are the best! We have had MANY guides over the years and Omar is knowledgeable, fun, and very personable. I highly recommend this tour!”

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Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles - Snorkeling in Akumal Bay
Day Trips from Playa del Carmen, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tulum Ruins Tours

Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles

4.Full Day Tulum Ruins Tour Cenote and Swimming with Sea Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,171 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $131

Spend about nine hours visiting Tulum’s Mayan ruins, swimming in Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich, and snorkeling at Akumal Beach. The tour includes round-trip transfers, guides, snorkel gear, lunch, and water. Guides such as Nancy, Yaris, Ivan, and Oto have helped make the day memorable, though turtle sightings and water clarity can vary.

“Amazing experience! Tour guides were fantastic and all 3 stops exceeded our expectations. We loved the cenote and snorkelling with the sea turtles. We actually saw and swam with multiple sea turtles!”

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Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure - Akumal’s turtle habitat and a leisurely snorkel
Akumal Tours, Playa del Carmen Private Tours, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tulum Ruins Tours

Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure

5.Private Tulum Ruins, Turtles in Akumal and Cenote Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 581 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $375

From Playa del Carmen, visit Tulum’s coastal Maya ruins with a bilingual guide, snorkel at Akumal with provided gear, and swim in a cave-filled cenote. Private transport, bottled water, and a Mexican taco lunch are included. Guides such as Claudia and Carlos have led the day, with time to tailor the outing to your group.

“JP , our guide, made this private tour a great one. Alphonse, our driver, was wonderful as well. I would not hesitate to book this again. We did the ruins, snorkeling with the turtles, and the cenote with lunch and everything was top notch.”

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Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch - Cenote El Sueño: the day’s most unusual swim
Lunch Experiences, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Snorkeling Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tulum Tours

Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch

6.Tulum, Snorkeling with Sea Turtles, Cenote and Beachside Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 6 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $189

Spend a full day combining Tulum’s clifftop Maya ruins, a swim in Cenote El Sueño, and guided snorkeling at Akumal, with round-trip hotel transport and beach-club lunch. A bilingual guide leads a group of up to 12. Bring a refillable bottle, towel, water shoes, and extra snacks; the ruins’ $25 entry fee is not included.

“Bring a reusable water bottle, bring some snacks as you will not lunch until very late on the excursion. The roads in and out of a couple of stops are very rough. You may need motion sickness medication. It’s very hot and humid at Tulum, have plenty of water with you. Our tour guides were excellent and very helpful. There is a lot of physical activity involved, so be prepared.”

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Swim with sea turtles - A private guide can make the swim easier
Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews

Swim with sea turtles

7.Swim with sea turtles

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 445 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $45

Akumal Ecological Guides leads your private group on a roughly 75-minute snorkel in Akumal Bay, where turtles feed in their natural habitat at about 2 meters deep. Gear, beach entry, lockers, showers and bathrooms are included. Guides such as Angel, Santiago and Francisco have earned praise for patient instruction and spotting rays, fish and turtles.

“We had a guide for us alone. Comfortable 1h snorkeling. We also saw some reef fish and sting rays. We went in the morning and felt good, but in the afternoon many groups of 10 people or more where in the protected area at the same time.”

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Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure - Snorkeling for turtles near Puerto Aventuras
Playa del Carmen Private Tours, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews

Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure

8.Private Turtles & Cenotes Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 424 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $310

Leave your hotel or rental in private transport for a guided snorkel near Puerto Aventuras, where turtle sightings are guaranteed. Then swim and snorkel in a freshwater cenote surrounded by stalactites and stalagmites. A bilingual guide, gear, water, and snacks are included; budget an extra $20 per person for the government fee.

“This tour was full of incredible memories from start to finish. Rachelle was the very best guide and we loved the photos that Luisa took for us. Everyone went above and beyond to make it a great experience. The food was amazing and rachelle was so friendly and knowledgeable. We saw multiple sea turtles. One of the turtles was so close to me coming up to the surface I almost got a kiss. 😂 Our driver Esdras was very good also. Highly recommend!”

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Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach - Turtles, fish and changing visibility
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Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach

9.Private Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal Beach

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 364 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $65

Swim Akumal Bay’s official protected circuit with guide Darwin, while Marlene helps with arrangements on shore. The private, roughly one-hour outing includes snorkel gear, a life jacket and park access. Expect about 50 minutes in open water, with green turtles promised and rays or tropical fish possible. You need to be comfortable swimming; transport and parking cost extra.

“This is hands down one of the best tours that I have ever been on. It is worth every penny. Our guide Darwin did a great job. We saw several turtles, star fish, squid, stingray and a whole bunch of our marine life.”

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Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal - Canamayte: a swim in Mariposa Cenote
Akumal Tours, Day Trips from Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tulum Tours

Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal

10.Full Day Tour to Tulum Cenote and Swim with Turtles in Akumal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 277 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $89

Spend about 10 hours visiting Tulum’s seaside Maya ruins, Canamayte’s semi-open Mariposa Cenote, and Akumal’s turtle habitat. A bilingual certified guide leads the day, with guides including Mildred, Jorge, Alfredo, Moises, and Ricky. Transport, lunch, a life vest, and lockers are included; budget extra for the $40 adult admission fee and lunch drinks.

“This tour was amazing. Only 4 of us so it felt like a private tour. Mildred and Ricky were great guides. I loved the opportunity to see the cenotes off the beaten path, and the food there was amazing. The sea turtle location was incredibly crowded with other tours and we couldn’t even rent a locker. Mildred had to hunt down a life vest for 2 of us and there was a lot of just wait time. But it was worth it to see and swim with turtles in the wild.”

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Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling - A sit-down lunch in the jungle
Playa del Carmen Private Tours, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Snorkeling Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling

11.Bestseller! Tulum Private Tour with Turtles and Cenote Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 266 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $279

This 6-to-7-hour private trip pairs an early guided visit to Tulum’s ruins with your choice of cenote, lunch at a local restaurant, and shore-based snorkeling in Akumal. A private air-conditioned van, entrance fees, gear, and an experienced guide are included. Guides have included Alex, Arturo, Joshua, and Manuel, though assignments can vary.

“It was all truly fantastic! Great to snorkel in a cenote! Exciting seeing turtles up close!!!! Great people to guide us- Joshua and Enricho!”

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Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal - The cenote: cool freshwater and cave walls
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Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal

12.Cenote Cavern Tour and Swim with Sea Turtles in Akumal

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 256 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.)

Travel from Playa del Carmen to Akumal for a guided snorkel over the reef, then swim in a cenote with an aquatic guide. The tour lasts about six to seven hours, includes transport, water, snacks, and snorkel equipment, and charges MX$500 per person for Akumal’s turtle care program. Confirm how many cenotes your departure visits.

“A great half day experience, we saw many turtles in Akumal, and the guided swimming in the underground caverns of the cenote was truly a once in a lifetime experience, absolutely incredible. The guide Mario was great - informative and explained a lot, and fun. Water and snacks were provided. Taking one star away though as it’s not allowed to take photos at the cenote just so they can sell you a package of photos they take of you - very staged, low quality photos, for a whopping 33 USD, which felt like a ripoff. As a result we don’t have any photos from this otherwise spectacular visit, which is…”

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Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session - Turtles, rays, fish, and a careful pace
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Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session

13.Swim with Turtles in Akumal + GoPro Photo Session

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 253 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $53

Snorkel Akumal’s protected bay with a private guide, using provided gear on the official CONANP circuit. Look for green turtles, rays, and tropical fish while your guide takes GoPro photos. The private, roughly one-hour outing includes park access, restrooms, showers, and lockers. Guides such as Fernando, Alejandro, and Rodrigo have helped first-time snorkelers feel at ease.

“Our guide was Fernando and it was excellent with him. He not only looked after us very well, but also showed us many marine animals. On turtles we saw 9 this morning, as well as colorful fish, lobsters, a globally rare species of ray, the spotted eagle ray, and another species of ray and fan coral.Auto-translated”

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Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya - Cooling off at Mariposa cenote
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Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya

14.Tour to Tulum and cenote with swimming with turtles from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 208 reviews · 11 hours 50 minutes (approx.) · from $89

Ekinox Tours takes you from Playa del Carmen or a pickup point on Highway 307 to Canamayte’s Mariposa cenote, Akumal’s turtle habitat, and the Tulum archaeological site. Expect an approximately 11-hour-50-minute day, an English-speaking bilingual certified guide, air-conditioned transport, lockers, vests, and lunch. Drinks and listed admission fees cost extra.

“Great trip with the family to see a bit of everything. Nice lunch and location to have food in the forest.”

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Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles - Akumal Bay and the search for turtles
Playa del Carmen Private Tours, Playa del Carmen Tours, Riviera Maya Cenote Tours, Riviera Maya Turtle Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles

15.Private Tour to Tulum, Cenote and Swimming with Turtles

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 195 reviews · 5 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $410

Start with pickup at 7:00 am, then visit Tulum’s coastal ruins with a certified guide, swim or snorkel in Cenote Taak Bi Ha, and snorkel at Akumal Bay in search of sea turtles. Private transport, water, snorkel gear and entrance fees are included. Guides named Ivan, Angel and Manny have led the tour.

“The day is yours to spend time as you wish. Our tour operator Ivan was amazing. He kept our family laughing. We enjoyed his professionalism, kindness, patience (to one in our group that needed assistance) and his all around friendliness. He made our day fabulous!”

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New in Riviera Maya Turtle Tours

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